Bed having a central longitudinal partition



March 22, 1955 F. l., LIPHART BED HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL PARTITION Filed NOV. 9. 1951 FIG. 2.

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ATORNEY United States Patent O BED HAVING A CENTRAL LONGITUDINAL PARTITION Fred L. Liphart, Evanston, Ill.

Application November 9, 1951, Serial No. 255,709

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-329) This invention relates to beds and particularly to double beds comprising means for dividing the beds into separated portions at opposite sides whenever such two-unit arrangement is desired. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide a construction of this type so arranged as to be capable of being changed readily and quickly from the normal double bed condition to the proposed two-unit condition.

In my preferred form of bed, I have provided means at opposite side portions for supporting two spring and mattress bedding parts independently of each other side by side, with a partition board movable either into raised position between said bedding parts at opposite side portions of the bed or into lowered position out of the way so as not to interfere with the use of the two side portions together as a double bed.

The means by which l have accomplished my objects comprise a partition board slidable vertically between two longitudinally-extending intermediate rails in slightly spaced relationship to each other, with springs connected with such partition board at opposite ends thereof normally supporting the partition board in its raised position but arranged so as to permit the partition board to be moved downwardly against the action of the springs and to be held releasably in its lowered position. lt is one of the objects of my invention to provide a novel arrangement of the supporting springs and the means for mounting such springs in operative position, so as to provide ample support for the partition board in its raised position and to provide for the ready movement of the partition board downwardly whenever desired.

It is another object of my invention to improve devices of this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished my several objects are illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a bed-stead embodying my improvements, with the mattress and other bedding means removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing a changed position of certain of the parts;

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sectional views taken substaatially at the line 4-4 and the line 5-5 in Fig. 1; an

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken substantially at the line 6-6 and the line 7-7 in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, 10 and 11 indicate head and foot boards, each of which comprises posts 12 connected together at their intermediate portions vertically by heavy cross pieces 13, with lighter panel portions 14 and 15 extending across above and below the pieces 13. The head and foot members 10 and 11 are releasably connected together at opposite sides by longitudinally extending side rails 16 and 17 and are connected at their intermediate portions by intermediate rails 18 and 19 which are connected with the head and foot boards by the use of blocks 20. The intermediate rails 18 and 19 are arranged in spaced relationship to each other for receiving a partition board 21 so as to be readily slidable vertically therebetween. On the inner faces of the side rails 16 and 17 and the outer faces of the intermediate rails 18 and 19, I have provided longitudinally extending strips 22 at the same level with each other for removably supporting slats 23, which slats in turn support conventional 2,704,371 Patented Mar. 22, 1955 Vice i bed means of any approved type, such as spring and mattress combinations 24, as illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3.

For adjustably supporting the partition board 21 between the intermediate rail members 18 and 19, in either Y the raised position as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, or in the lowered position as shown in Fig. 3, I have provided long coiled springs 25 and 26 and means cooperating therewith whereby the springs shall support the partition normally in raised position and whereby the partition may be locked in lowered position when desired.

The means for mounting the springs 25 and 26 in position comprises bars or rods 27 xed in vertical position on the head and foot members 10 and 11, as is best shown in Fig. 5. Arms 28 in the form of metal bars are mounted on the end portions of the partition board 21 at about the lower edge of such partition board, such arms extending upwardly in spaced relationship to the upper portion of such partition board. Said arms 28 are provided at their upper end portions with angularly-positioned portions 29 having openings through which the rods 27 extend, such angularly-positioned portions 29 being arranged to rest on the upper ends of the springs 25 and 26 for normally supporting the partition board 21 in raised position, as shown in said Fig. 5.

In my improved arrangement as shown, I have provided sheet-metal housings 30 and 31 iixedly mounted on the inner faces of the head and foot board panels 14 for enclosing the upper end portions of the springs 25 and 26, the upper ends of the rods 27 being mounted iixedly in top plate portions of said housings. For enclosing the lower end portions of the springs below the intermediate rail members 18 and 19, I have provided sheet-metal housings 32 and 33 ixedly mounted on the inner faces of the head and foot board panels 15, face portions of such housings 32 and 33 being shaped to provide vertically-extending grooves 34 into which the end portions of the partition board 21 extend, as shown in Fig. 7, for providing the desired sliding engagement of the partition with such panels 15. As is clearly shown by Fig. 5, the lower ends of the rods 27 are mounted lixedly in position in bottom plate portions of said housings 32 and 33.

With the partition board 21 supported in raised position by the springs 25 and 26 as shown in Fig. 2, the bed is used in its two-unit condition, with the opposite side portions of the bed made up separately and individually. When it is desired to use the bed in the usual double-width fashion, the partition 21 is pushed downwardly against the action of the springs 25 and 26 from the position as shown in Fig. 2 to the position as shown in Fig. 3. In the arrangement illustrated, turn-buttons 35 are provided on the lower edge of the intermediate rail 18 adapted to be turned into crosswise position as shown in Fig. 3 into engagement with openings 36 through the partition board 21 for holding the partition board locked in its lowered position against the action of the springs 25 and 26.

In my improved construction, the springs 25 and 26 are of such strength as to enable them in partially contracted condition, as shown in Fig. 5, to support the partition board 21 effectively in its raised position. The springs at the same time are made of comparatively great effective length, as made possible by the use of the arms 28 for connecting the springs to the partition board. This comparatively great length of the springs 25 and 26 makes possible the contraction of the springs for the downward movement of the partition board without the application of undue pressure on the parts.

While I prefer to employ the construction and arrangement of the parts as illustrated and described, the invention is not to be limited to such form and arrangement except so far as the claims may be so restricted, it being understood that changes might well be made in the form and arrangement without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. In a bed, the combination of head and foot boards, side rails connecting said head and foot boards together at opposite sides of the bed, means for supporting bedding at opposite side portions of the bed, a partition board, and means for holding the partition board in intermediate position between said side rails so as to be held selectively in raised position for providing separated bed sections at opposite sides of the partition board or to be held alternatively in lowered position for providing a double bed arrangement.

2. A bed as specified in claim 1, in which said holding means for said partition board comprises spring means for holding the partition board yieldingly in raised position and means for holding the partition board releasably in lowered position against the pressure of said spring means.

3. A bed as specified in claim 2, in which the partition board is held movably in position by engagement with spaced intermediate rails between which said partition board is slidably mounted, in which said spring means comprises long coiled springs supported in vertical position on rods carried in fixed position by said head and foot boards, and in which the partition board is supported by said springs through the medium of arms mounted on the partition board and standing in spaced relationship to the board at its end portions and bearing on the upper end portions of said springs.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

